1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to data search methods and systems and particularly to methods and systems capable of searching data while maintaining high data visibility if complex search conditions are set.
2. Description of the Background Art
As computer systems are increasingly enhanced in performance and individuals each control much more data than before, it is important that the users can readily and rapidly obtain required data from an enormous amount of data. One such efficient data search method is proposed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 9-6791.
In this data search method, a set of search results for one search condition is displayed in a closed area and a plurality of such areas are overlapped to display the data satisfying multiple search conditions at a portion where the multiple areas overlap.
For example, in FIG. 31A, a result of searching a database for the data including a keyword xe2x80x9cvehiclexe2x80x9d is displayed in an area 3201 and that of searching the database for the data including a keyword xe2x80x9ccharacterxe2x80x9d is displayed in an area 3202. Each data may be displayed with an icon so that the content of the data can be recognized at a glance. If there is data belonging to both of areas 3201 and 3202, the data is indicated by icons displayed, one at an area, adjacent to each other (in FIG. 31A, xe2x80x9cmotor bikexe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cbicyclexe2x80x9d). This is convenient in searching for data satisfying more than one search condition. In FIG. 31B, areas 3201 and 3202 are overlapped to display at an overlapping area 3203 the icons of the data contained in both of areas 3201 and 3202. Thus the user can readily recognize the data satisfying more than one search condition, resulting in a reduced search time. An area for displaying a search result and a search condition associated therewith will together be referred to as a xe2x80x9cfilterxe2x80x9d.
In the data search method described above, however, a position in a filter at which an icon is displayed does not have any particular information other than that the icons of data belonging to more than one filter are displayed adjacent to each other. As such, if a search condition is complex and the number of filters is accordingly increased, high data visibility cannot be achieved.
For example, if a plurality of data having names of prefectures in Japan as attribute values are searched using a type of filter having the name of a prefecture as a search condition, then maximally as much as 47 filters, corresponding to the number of the prefectures in Japan, are required.
Furthermore, if a filter with xe2x80x9cresidentiary in the Kansai areaxe2x80x9d as a search condition and a filter with xe2x80x9cmalexe2x80x9d as a search condition are used for AND search, any information other than the search conditions are not included in the result of the AND search. More specifically, if the user desires to obtain more specific information such as at which prefecture in the Kansai area a retrieved residentiary lives, then an additional filter must be applied. This increases the number of filters and thus degrades data visibility.
The present invention has been made to solve the disadvantage described above and contemplates a data search method and system with high data visibility, capable of representing complex search conditions with a reduced number of filters.
The present invention also contemplates a data search method allowing high data visibility if a large number of symbols are displayed in a filter.
The present invention also contemplates a data search method capable of varying an attribute value of data through a simple operation.
In one aspect of the present invention the data search method is used in a data search system including a storage disposed to store a plurality of data to be administered and attribute values associated with a desired number of attributes and respectively assigned to the plurality of data, a display, an input unit receiving an instruction to perform an operation from a user through a user operation to be performed on an object displayed on the display, and a data operation unit responsive to the instruction received by the input unit for performing an operation on the plurality of data. The data search method includes the steps of: creating a filter associated with a plurality of attribute values each associated with a predetermined display position; defining a data attribute and a data attribute value associated with the filter for search; using the data attribute and the data attribute value to search data; and displaying a symbol of retrieved data in the filter at a display position corresponding to an attribute value of the data.
In a filter each display position is associated with an attribute value. As such, if a complex search condition is used to search data, only a single filter suffices and without deteriorating data visibility the complex search condition can be used to search the data.
Preferably if the data retrieved has more than one attribute value the symbol of the data is displayed at a single position in the filters associated with more than one attribute value.
If the data has more than one attribute value each associated with a display position in a filter, the symbol of the data is displayed at a single display position in the filters associated with more than one attribute value. Thus the user can recognize at a glance that the data has more than one attribute value and high data visibility can thus be achieved.
Still preferably the step of displaying in the filter at a display position includes the steps of: determining whether a number of the data retrieved is an appropriate number for using symbols to display the data retrieved; if the number of the data searched is an appropriate number for using symbols to display the data retrieved, displaying a symbol of the data retrieved in the filter at a display position corresponding to an attribute value of the data; and if the number of the data retrieved is an inappropriate number for using symbols to display the data retrieved, allowing an user to select a representation for the data retrieved and, according to the selected representation, displaying the data retrieved in the filter.
If too much data satisfy a search condition associated with a filter, displaying symbols in the filter can result in degraded data visibility. Accordingly, the user is allowed to select a different type of data representation to display the data. Thus the data can be displayed without degraded visibility.
Still preferably the data search method further includes the steps of: detecting that in a filter an area has been selected; and enlarging and thus displaying the selected area and displaying in the enlarged and displayed area at a display position a symbol of data having an attribute value associated with the selected area.
When in a filter an area is selected the area is enlarged and displayed. As such, if in a selected area multiple symbols exist and result in a poor data visibility, enlarging and thus displaying the area can provide an enhanced data visibility.
Still preferably the data search method further includes the steps of: detecting that a symbol of data has been moved to and arrived at a filter associated with a plurality of attribute values each associated with a predetermined display position; and changing an attribute value of the data moved, to an attribute value associated with a display position corresponding to a destination of the data.
By moving a symbol of data in a filter from one position to any desired position, the data""s attribute value can be changed to that associated with the display position corresponding to the destination of the data. Thus the data have an attribute value which can be changed through a simple operation.
In another aspect of the present invention the data search system includes: a storage disposed to store a plurality of data to be administered and attribute values associated with a desired number of attributes and respectively assigned to the plurality of data; a display; an input unit receiving an instruction to perform an operation from a user through a user operation to be performed on an object displayed on the display; a filter creation unit creating a filter associated with a plurality of attribute values each associated with a predetermined display position; an attribute definition unit defining a data attribute and a data attribute value associated with the filter for search; a data search unit using the data attribute and the data attribute value to search data; and a data display unit displaying a symbol of retrieved data in the filter at a display position depending on an attribute value of the data on the display.
In a filter each display position is associated with an attribute value. As such, if a complex search conditions is used to search data, only one filter suffices and without degraded data visibility the complex search condition can be used to search the data.
In still another aspect of the present invention a computer-readable recording medium stores a data search program allowing a computer to implement a data search method storing a plurality of data to be administered and attribute values associated with a desired number of attributes and respectively assigned to the plurality of data, and performing an operation on the plurality of data in response to an instruction to perform an operation from an user through a user operation to be performed on an object displayed on a display. The data search method includes the steps of: creating a filter associated with a plurality of attribute values each associated with a predetermined display position; defining a data attribute and a data attribute value associated with the filter for search; using the data attribute and the data attribute value to search data; and displaying a symbol of retrieved data in the filter at a display position corresponding to an attribute value of the data.
In a filter each display position is associated with an attribute value. As such, if a complex search condition is used to search data, only one filter suffices and without degraded data visibility the complex search condition can be used to search the data.